This week's Winter Meetings produced a flurry of deals that added a bit of focus to the offseason puzzle. But virtually every team still has a lengthy to-do list. Let's look at seven clubs most likely to make a move, and soon.
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The Rays acquired first baseman/third baseman Yandy Diaz from the Indians in a three-team trade that also involved the Mariners and sent first baseman Jake Bauers to Cleveland on Thursday. Tampa Bay will also receive Minor League righty Cole Sulser in the deal.
More»Bloom on trade for Yandy Diaz, losing Jake Bauers

Free-agent right-hander Charlie Morton is wrapping up a two-year, $30 million deal with the Rays, according to multiple people familiar with the negotiations. The contract will be finalized once Morton passes a physical.
More»Rays reportedly sign Morton to two-year deal

Nelson Cruz? Yep, the Rays have checked in on him, gauging what his price would be. At 38, Cruz remains one of baseball's most productive hitters. Indians designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion is another option. He's being shopped, and the Rays have the Minor League depth to get a deal done.
More»Cruz, Encarnacion, Morton on Rays' radar

Thinking back on a tough period in his life, Chris Lessner is filled with gratitude on many levels. On Tuesday morning at the Winter Meetings, the trainer of the Arizona Rookie League Athletics told his story at the Baseball Assistance Team Breakfast.
More»Baseball Assistance Team breakfast

Rays principal owner Stuart Sternberg said Tuesday he's reopening his team's long search for a new ballpark site after being unable to reach a deal with Hillsborough County on a proposed Ybor City location near downtown Tampa, Fla.
More»Sternberg is committed to new stadium for Rays

Harold Baines was surrounded by two of the men who'd guided, managed and mentored him: White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa. "Our friendship goes further than the game of baseball," Baines said.
More»Baines, Smith to enter Hall of Fame in 2019

The Rays are offering three unique opportunities as part of Major League Baseball's auction to support the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Negro Leagues Museum, two important institutions that educate future generations of young people through honoring significant moments and individuals of baseball's past.
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Some team is going to surprise us this week. Just watch. There's going to be a trade or a signing that stops conversations dead in their tracks. All the ingredients are there. Like one of those huge storm systems roiling over the Pacific.
More»MLB Tonight makes Winter Meeting predictions

Lee Smith was perhaps the most feared reliever of his generation and helped define the closer's role in the modern game during 18 seasons in the Majors. Harold Baines was far different, stoic and shy, a craftsman who produced 2,866 hits with one of the sweetest swings of his day.
More»Smith, Baines enter HOF on Today's Game Era ballot

Reliever Lee Smith and six-time All-Star Harold Baines have been elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, based on the Today's Game Era voting results, which were revealed Sunday night at the Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.
More»Lee Smith humbled to join the Hall of Fame

The Rays are in position to take on additional salary and have cast a wide net in discussing potential impact acquisitions, including big names like Madison Bumgarner, Noah Syndergaard, Trevor Bauer, Charlie Morton and Nelson Cruz. Team officials aren't focusing on a single area of the team, so the front office has the option of considering a variety of possibilities.
More»Rays senior VP Bloom on upcoming Winter Meetings

The Cardinals probably could not have found a more perfect fit than Paul Goldschmidt -- that's on the field and in the clubhouse and community. If there's a prototype of what a Major League player should be, he is it. It's really that simple.
More»Goldschmidt excited for opportunity with Cardinals

That arguably the top two free agents disappeared from the market in a stretch of about 72 hours is a reminder that there are more teams seeking rotation help than there is rotation help available. Let's look at nine options.
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The Rays announced Tuesday the filling of the final three spots on their coaching staff, naming Paul Hoover as their Major League field coordinator, Jonathan Erlichman as their process and analytics coach and Justin Su'a as their Major League mental skills coach.
More»Kevin Cash on new additions to Rays' staff

We're looking for perfect fits -- something like the Red Sox got by signing J.D. Martinez last winter. Big-ticket free-agent signings seldom work out so perfectly: A team that was already very good got a guy who made them even better, on the field and in the clubhouse. And they jumped on duck boats and rode off into the sunset with a World Series trophy. Yeah, those kinds of fits. We're working up our list and checking it two and three times more.
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